Overall Summary
Tree pollen was still high in Bloemfontein, Johannesburg and Cape Town, but is low to moderate in all other areas. Grasses were low throughout the country but moderate in Calvinia. Weeds pollen was uniformly low, but moderate in Cape Town. High mould levels were seen in Durban only.
Cape Town
High tree counts, moderate weed counts and low grass counts were observed. Cypress (Cupressaceae) and olive (Oleaceae) dominated the trees, with lower levels of plane (Platanus sp.), pine (Pinaceae), cedar (Cedrus sp.), hackberry (Celtis sp.), beech (Fagus sp.), mulberry (Moraceae), waxberry (Morella sp.), gum (Myrtaceae), oak (Quercus sp.), larch (Larix sp.) and elm (Ulmaceae) present. Weeds included daisies (Asteraceae), erica (Ericaceae), spurges (Euphorbiaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae), plantain (Plantaginaceae), ferns (Polypodiaceae), reeds (Restionaceae), sorrel (Rumex sp.) and nettles (Urticaceae). Fungal spore counts were very low.
Calvinia
Grasses were moderate. Tree and weed pollen counts were low. Trees identified included mesquite (Prosopis sp.) and olive (Oleaceae). Weeds detected were the cabbage family which includes canola (Brassicaceae.) and spurges (Euphorbia sp.), plantain (Plantaginaceae), nettles (Urticaceae), the daisy family (Asteraceae) and goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae). Moulds were extremely low.
Johannesburg
Tree counts were high, while weed, grass and mould counts were very low. Tree pollen included acacia (Acacia sp.), hackberry (Celtis sp.), cypress (Cupressaceae), mulberry (Moraceae), gum (Myrtaceae), olive (Oleaceae), pine (Pinaceae), plane (Platanus sp.), yellowwood (Podocarpaceae), poplar (Populus sp.), oak (Quercus sp.) and elm (Ulmaceae). Only mugwort (Artemisia sp.) was found in the weeds category.
Pretoria
Grass, tree and weed pollen counts were low during this sampling period. Tree pollen included acacia (Acacia sp.), birch (Betulaceae), gum (Myrtaceae), mulberry (Moraceae), pine (Pinaceae), plane (Platanaceae), yellowwood (Podocarpaceae) and oak (Fagaceae). Weeds were mugwort (Artemisia sp.), the daisy family (Asteraceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae) and sorrel (Rumex sp.). Moulds were low.
Bloemfontein
No grass pollen was detected. Trees included acacia (Acacia sp.), false olive (Buddleja sp.), bushwillow (Combretaceae), hackberry (Celtis sp.), cypress (Cupressaceae), pine (Pinaceae), plane (Platanaceae), poplar (Populaceae), oak (Quercus sp.), syringa (Melia sp.), mulberry (Moraceae), yellowwood (Podocarpaceae), poplar (Populaceae), karee (Rhus/Searsia sp.), elm (Ulmaceae) and gum (Myrtaceae). Weeds seen were pigmyweeds (Crassulaceae), mugwort (Artemisia sp.), the daisy family (Asteraceae), erica (Ericaceae), sunflower (Helianthus sp.) and nettles (Urticaceae). Moulds were low.
Kimberley
Moderate tree counts with low weed, grass and mould counts were observed during this sampling period. Tree pollen was diverse and included acacia (Acacia sp.), the sumac family (Anacardiaceae), Australian pine (Casuarina sp.), bushwillow (Combretaceae), cypress (Cupressaceae), beech (Fagus sp.), mulberry (Moraceae), waxberry (Morella sp.), gum (Myrtaceae), olive (Oleaceae), pine (Pinaceae), yellowwood (Podocarpaceae), oak (Quercus sp.) and lindens (Tiliaceae). Weeds were from the daisy family (Asteraceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae), erica (Ericaceae), plantain (Plantaginaceae) and nettles (Urticaceae).
Durban
Grass pollen counts were low as were trees, and these included acacia (Acacia sp.), ash (Fraxinus sp.), bushwillow (Combretaceae), pecan (Carya sp.), waxberry (Morella sp.), gum (Myrtaceae), olive (Oleaceae), pine (Pinaceae), plane (Platanus sp.) and buckthorns (Rhamnaceae). Low weeds included the carnation family (Caryophyllaceae), goosefoot (Chenopodiaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae), plantain (Plantaginaceae), the daisy family (Asteraceae), ferns (Polypodiaceae), nettles (Urticaceae) and geranium/pelargonium (Geraniaceae). Moulds were high with significant levels for ascospores and the allergenic moulds: Cladosporium and Epicoccum.
Gqeberha
Tree, grass and weed pollen counts were low. Trees identified included cypress (Cupressaceae), bushwillow (Combretaceae), pine (Pinaceae), waxberry (Morella sp.), olive (Oleaceae), hackberry (Celtis sp.) and gum (Myrtaceae). Weeds detected were mezereum (Thymelaeaceae sp.), the daisy family (Asteraceae), plantain (Plantaginaceae), nettles (Urticaceae), sedges (Cyperaceae) and pelargonium (Geraniaceae). Moulds were low.
